Associated Press | Posted: Friday, April 30, 2010 9:17 pm

The California Sex Offender Management Board has sent 13 recommendations to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on how to better protect the public from sexual predators, following review of  the John Gardner case.  Had he been returned to prison for parole violations, he would have been evaluated for commitment to a state mental hospital as a sexually violent predator.

Among the recommendations sent to the governor:

-- The state parole division should decide what parole violations are automatically referred to the state Board of Parole Hearings. Currently, not all parole violations are reported to the parole board.

-- Mandate treatment for designated sex offenders on parole or probation.

-- Pass a law designating so-called "exclusion zones" where certain sex offenders are not allowed. One state lawmaker has authored legislation banning sex offenders from parks. Current state law limits how close sex offenders can live to schools and parks.

-- Rank sex offenders according to their risk of reoffense and dangerousness.

-- Provide more resources to local law enforcement agencies for monitoring registered sex offenders.

-- Require sheriff's and police departments, probation departments, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to retain records on registered sex offenders for 75 years.

-- Change state law so that mentally ill offenders are referred for commitment when at least two evaluators agree that the person should be committed.